The Beautiful and Twisted Illusion
by cotedepablo911
Summary: Annabeth is up in a tree. It's a nice day. There is a racket outside camp. What's up? And what does Percy have to do with it?  Takes place between The Last Olympian and TLH/SON.


**A little something I've been working on at home. It was something that came at random. Kinda short, but still a better one of my pieces. **

**FYI, this is _strictly _a one-shot. No sequel here, sorry!**

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><p>It all started in the tree. It was my favorite tree in all of the camp. If you climbed to the highest of the branches (when the nymphs let you), you could see everything from Thalia's Tree and the Golden Fleece to the arena all the way across the grounds.<p>

I sat up in my tree, hanging out. It was about 3 o'clock from what I could tell. There was no sound in the camp, though. Everyone was probably enjoying the day, just like I was. And between the warm air and silence, I was beginning to drift off to sleep.

I thought about Percy. We loved days like this. The days where there was nothing to do. When there was no crazy event going on and we could just spend time together. It had been about eight months that he was gone. I couldn't figure out why. I shook the thought. I knew I wouldn't be able to relax if I hung up on it.

About a minute after my eyes closed, I heard a scream. And as amazingly fast as my reflexes are, I almost fell out the tree. The scream rang out again. I heard a faint "oh my gods!" down the way. Running footsteps sounded as someone pounded across the paths. "Where's Annabeth?" a girl's voice said. It sounded like Juniper. "I don't know!" another one piped up. "Well find her, _fast_!"

I couldn't wait to see what was going on, so I hopped down from my spot in the trees. "Sure enough, there was Juniper, looking flushed from running.

"What's going on?" I asked, still trying to figure out the details. The nymph just shook her head and grabbed my hand. Juniper started running as she pulled me with her. "Hey!" I cried out.

We ran all the way across the camp. I tried to make her stop pulling me and tell me what was going on. But she wouldn't do anything but run. Finally, we were across the camp towards Thalia's Tree. Juniper slowed down. I turned to her.

"What in the name of Athena is going on?" My friend just pointed to the tree.

There in front of me was a figure that looked like a person. There was two more next to it. "A new demigod? That's what's wrong?"

Juniper just shook her head and started walking over. I rolled my eyes and followed. After about ten steps, I figured out what was going on. That figure wasn't a new demigod, it was a specific demigod. It was Percy.

I couldn't believe it, but I knew it was him. It was the same black hair, same build as he was, and he walked the same way. I knew my boyfriend when I saw him. I kept walking to him. He must've seen me, because I heard him shout my name. Then I started running. Thirty seconds later, I was right there.

I flew into his arms. I felt them encase me as I melted into him. "Annabeth," he said. It sounded like he was crying. I was so choked up I couldn't say anything.

"Oh gods I missed you," he said. I pulled away from him so I was looking at his face. Percy's looked a little tired and like he'd been fighting straight across the country. His lips smashed to mine, and it took my breath away. I began crying, but the kiss was still perfect. He was still gentle and considerate, but the passion was undeniably there.

I pulled away. "Never leave me again Seaweed Brain. Do you understand?" I demanded. He kissed me again. "I promise. You were the one thing I wanted back the most. I wanted to come back and find you more than anything in the world," Percy said.

I started crying again. He pulled me into a hug again. "It's okay, it's okay. We're together now. It's all over," he mumbled into my hair. I could believe he was there. It was all over. We were together again. My Seaweed Brain had come back to me.

"Hey Percy!" a voice called out. I pulled my head off his chest and wiped my tears. It was Grover. "I think there's someone who wants to see you," he said. Percy smiled. "If it's Chiron, then I'm on my way. Just give me a second."

He turned back to me. "Annabeth?"

I just smiled up at him. "Yes?"

He just kept looking at me. "Annabeth?"

"Percy? What's wrong?"

His voice kept ringing out, but his mouth wasn't moving.

"Annabeth? Annabeth?"

I couldn't figure it out. "Percy? What's wrong?"

Suddenly, I felt the impact on my back. My eyes flew open as the wind was knocked out of me.

"Annabeth! Are you okay?" Juniper asked, standing above me.  
>"What happened?" I asked.<p>

"You dozed off. It's five o'clock. We've been looking for you for about a half hour now," Piper explained standing next to her.  
>I looked at her, bewildered. "You <em>can't <em>be serious. It was three o'clock a few minutes. I just checked, there's no way it's already three!" I exclaimed.  
>"Sorry to break it to you. What happened? You were mumbling in your sleep again."<p>

I felt myself go pale, then feel like sobbing, then blush bright red, then feel like sobbing again. "Nothing, just a weird dream again."

Juniper sighed and knew better. "You had another dream about Percy didn't you?"

I closed my eyes and nodded slowly. "That he was back and he was okay. It felt so…_real_," I stuttered. I suddenly felt myself beginning to cry _again_. (I was crying a _lot _lately.) "He kissed me and kept held me there. I…I actually thought he was home."

Juniper gave me a hug and held me close. "Yeah, I know. And you'll find him soon. He'll come home because he always does."

If only I could believe it.

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><p><strong>So what do you think? Please review so I know I'm on the right track!<strong>


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